By Grace Q. Bryant
The Engineering Society of Liberia (ESOL), in an effort to promote in part, the 2015 sustainable development goals (SDGs), an agenda set to meet its milestone in 2030, has launched what it calls, “Green Engineering Symposium”, aimed at fostering clear understanding and adoption to sustainable engineering practice across Liberia.
The launch was held over the weekend for prominent figures in the engineering profession, government representatives, international guests, and professionals from across different sectors of the country, which was in Sinkor.
According to the ESOL’s President, Mr. Dadley Toe who highlighted the organization’s commitment to promoting green engineering and sustainable development, his group’s mission includes dedication to not just the advancement of the engineering profession, but also guiding practitioners and beneficiaries toward making environmentally sustainable decisions that leads to better infrastructures.
He said, “the symposium is intended to help Liberians understand why green engineering is essential for corporate Liberia.”
Mr. Toe said, “The launch is in-line with the United Nations SDGs green and sustainable engineering, a path that leverages global focus on climate change.” He added, “our country must embrace sustainable construction practices which is a pivotal moment for all Liberians, as we empower engineers to incorporate green solutions into every project they must undertake.”
Also up for discussion by ESOL president, was the importance of preparing future engineers to lead Liberia’s infrastructural sector, which he said ESOL plans on providing targeted training to students and recent graduates, to ensure they gain the requisite knowledge and skills required to impact their careers.
“If engineering students who graduate lacks proper training and experiences, it becomes a societal quagmire challenging everyone. We want Liberian engineers to leave universities being equipped with the required skills to contribute to nation’s building efforts, because, the future of Liberia’s infrastructure and its resilience against climate impacts, depends on how we prioritize sustainability today,” ESOL president Mr. Toe stressed.
But Emily Anderson, who supported the event as a licensed professional engineer from the United States, remarked, a on the importance of establishing professional standards and government advocacy, to promote engineering solutions.
She said, her organization, the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) focuses on advocating for professional standards, which according to her, the symposium can strengthen ESOL’s influence to doing just that.
Emily said, “In Houston, Texas, we developed an engineering design manual in partnership with local government, to stay aligned with industry best practices, and I see ESOL playing a similar role here in Liberia.”
